Leaving Castle Street, is " The Priory," as the busiest part of Modern Hastings was called a hundred years ago when all beyond the Castle Cliffs was open country. Wellington Square was the Priory Field, looking down on the Priory Farm on the west, the Brook Meadows, when " The White Rock " projected so far into the sea as to shut out the view westward, when the Alexandra Park was ozier beds and hop-gardens, and Old Roar, Gensing Valley, and the Priory Farm were places to which inhabitants of the Old Town resorted for excursions and picnics, and beyond which the Corporation had no jurisdiction. Such are the changes which time has wrought. Several views of the former site of Wellington Square at various periods, lent by different collectors, are here given.
This view of the Castle from the west, was drawn by J. Nixon, and engraved by Harding, and published on January 1st, 1800, by Edward Harding, 98, Pall Mall. The hillocks on the left were part of the present site of Wellington Square, before the Lime Kilns were built, and formed a portion of the Priory Farm. The water with the boat in it was the Priory Stream. On showing this view to Mr. Charles Dawson, F.S.A., he expressed an opinion that the round piece of water was a saltpan, and similar to that in his view on page 193.
